A functional imbalance between proapoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 is likely to participate in the resistance of cancer cells to therapy. We show here that ethyl 2-amino-6-bromo-4-(1-cyano-2-ethoxy-2-oxoethyl)-4H-chromene-3-carboxylate (HA14-1), a small organic compound recently proposed to function as an inhibitor of Bcl-2, increases the sensitivity of human glioblastoma cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This sensitizing effect is lost if Bcl-2 expression, but not Bcl-xL expression, is knocked down or if cells only express a mutant of Bax that does not interact with Bcl-2. This points to a specific Bcl-2 inhibitory function of HA14-1 and implies that it selectively involves hindrance of Bcl-2 binding to Bax, which HA14-1 inhibits in cell-free assays and in cells in receipt of an apoptotic stimulation. Moreover, HA14-1, in combination with a cytotoxic treatment, slows down the growth of glioblastoma in vivo. Thus, the inhibition of Bcl-2 achieved by HA14-1 might improve treatment outcome. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(5): 2757-64)

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The synthesis of new derivatives of embelin, a natural inhibitor of X‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) is described. The design of these new molecules involved introduction of aromatic groups directly linked to the benzoquinone core. To allow a large flexibility in the nature and the length of the added chain, the strategy involves first aSuzuki–Miyaura reaction with functionalized aromatics, yielding a first generation of molecules. Then, by appropriate use of the functional groups, a second generation of representative embelin derivatives was prepared.